Penni, you are the last person I would want to disagree with, and I think you know that. You are always so reasonable, anyone who does disagree with you looks idiotic, anyway, and who would want that? I guess I would just say that I think you have a couple of perceptions about paganism that are incorrect. Here's the U.S. Army blurb on paganism, which explains more economically than I could that satanism comes from Christianity, not paganism, and that pagans are a friendly, ecumenical bunch who do good works.
voicenet.com
I guess I am also a little concerned about the concept that most parents would do well to depend upon some basic moral and ethical teachings by their churches. I would hope that parents could do this on their own, and take the time with their children to really address the issues. But I know I am very idealistic about this.
My point on Jesus, homosexuals, and women in the early church were not exactly to start a discussion of religion, simply to point out that what is being taught as Christianity is in many sects a very closed system that is a digression from the actual Christian values of the early believers, sometimes deliberate, even fraudulent, and sometimes to accomplish negative goals like the subjugation of women.
I think Christianity, and being a Christian, is always painted as very positive, and it is difficult for me to understand why sometimes. I also believe I follow a spiritual path that is much closer to Jesus and the early Christians than is followed by many Christians today. I wish we could get back to that essence. The original Islamic tenets were much more compassionate and fairer to women than the later additions, also, as I understand. And the Islamic faith is not really about terrorists killing people, either. I think this twisting is very common, and do not know what to do about it.
If each subsequent generation simply absorbs the values and beliefs of their parents, I am not sure how we move ahead. I want to be very sure that what I believe in is positive, and that was behind my suggestion that children be a little older, and choose a belief system consciously, instead of being programmed to accept one. But I am sure my idea will never happen. I do believe it would lead to more world peace, and that is an important goal.
What Del said about the prejudices against non-Christians in this country is true, especially against pagans, agnostics and atheists. I sometimes don't think we are very well understood, and so when I saw that you, too, seemed to have misconceptions, I wanted to throw in my two cents' worth. I certainly would never associate paganism with satanism, and I am not sure where the misunderstanding began. It is very common at SI, however!!!
While you say that any belief system is better than none, I guess I would argue that some of these belief systems do horrible harm to mankind. Paganism, atheism, agnosticism, and Bahai seem to be the only ones where everyone is not fighting or trying to hurt or hate someone, however. Most moderate Christians are very nice people, but some of the conservatives have a not of very narrow, exclusionary beliefs that hurt people.
More than that you are saying that men are essentially tribal, and will invent rivalries, and with that I agree. It is probably much too late to be discussing this stuff, because I am tired. I hope I made a little sense, however. |
